Face it! It is tough to grow vegetables in Dallas, TX if you live in a small home or apartment that is largely shaded. This time of year, especially, it may not seem worth the effort. But if you love to cook and to watch plants grow, there are some tricks that can make it possible.

One of the best tips is to choose plants that grow speedily. When planting seeds, choose those with the shortest time from planting to harvest as listed on the seed package. We have two short growing seasons in Dallas, spring and fall. The faster the seeds produce, the more likely you are to take advantage of ideal growing temperatures.

Another tip is to pick space-saving plants like patio tomatoes or cucumbers. Avoid indeterminant varieties that will take over your space.

Although I am not a big fan of vegetable gardening in containers, it is sometimes the only choice if space is limited. My favorite method is to grow herbs in a window or just outside the kitchen door. Most herbs grow well in partial light because plants that we consume the leaf of, and not the fruit or the root, require the least amount of sunlight. And for the price of one stem of an herb at the market, you can have a whole plant that keeps producing fresh seasoning for your dishes. Just remember to separate herbs according to their water needs.

The difficulty with container gardening is that it is tough to maintain consistent moisture in the soil. One solution is to use a grow-box designed to water from below the container. I have had good success using this type of container to grow lettuce on my front porch during the cooler months.

My favorite gardening container is an old wheelbarrow with drainage holes drilled in the bottom. This works in the spring and fall. When the sun moves across my driveway, I follow it with my wheelbarrow. When an early or late frost threatens my “farm”, I just wheel it into the garage. One friend suggested I could wheel it into the dining room and let my guests harvest their own salads. It is not the most productive gardening space, but it is a fun experiment.

Efficient production is not the real goal of small-space vegetable gardening in Dallas. It is easier and often more economical to just pick up the produce at the grocery store. But there is real satisfaction experiencing the miracle of plants growing into the food that we eat. That makes it worth the effort.